Former leading New Zealand publisher and bookseller, and widely experienced judge of both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, talks about what he is currently reading, what impresses him and what doesn't, along with chat about the international English language book scene, and links to sites of interest to booklovers.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The Book We're Talking About This Week

What is it about?
Damien Echols was one of the West Memphis Three, found guilty of the murder of
three boys in Arkansas in 1993. He spent 18 years on death row, before being
freed in 2011. This book is made up of his prison journals, his memories and
his post-jail writing.

Why are we talking
about it?
Though perhaps best known for his celebrity defenders, including Henry Rollins,
Eddie Vedder, "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, and Johnny
Depp (who has a tattoo designed by Echols), and for being the subject of the "Paradise Lost" documentaries, the book
itself is a compelling, disturbing tale of persecution and prison life.

Who wrote it?
Damien Echols, born Michael Wayne Hutchison, is now 38 years old. While in
jail, he converted to Zen Buddhism, met and married his wife (who had seen a
documentary about the murders, and wrote to him in prison), and was repeated
beaten by the guards. He now works as a writer, artist and advocate for prison
reform.

Who will read it?
Echols has a cult online following. Beyond that, fans of his celebrity
supporters, people interested in his case, and the state of the American prison
system are likely readers.